The One We Used to Be
by Impulsed
Summary: Bella and Edward are inseparable... Until Edward moves away. Junior year Edward comes back the bad boy and ultimate player. Can Bella bring herself to love the new Edward she hates so much, or is he so lost in his new self to have things ever be the same?
1. Chapter 1

The One We Used to Be

By Impulsed

Summary: We all end up changing once in our life, for better or worse. For Edward Cullen, it was worse. Before, Edward and Bella had been best friends. Then when Edward moves away, it leaves Bella broken beyond compare. Now, seeing each other again in years, it seems to have done the exact opposite for Edward. He's an arrogant bastard who only seems to love himself. But a lot can hide under the surface. Can Bella love the new Edward she hates so much, or is he so lost in his new self for things to ever be the same?

**Disclaimer- ****No copyright infringement intended****.****Twilight's character names and setting belong to Stephenie Meyer. This plot intake belongs to the username Impulsed at Fanfiction. Any copying whatsoever of this writing is plagiarism. Don't be a thief.**

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**Chapter 1- The One I Knew**

Who was Edward Cullen?

Edward was… My soul mate. The other half of my heart, whatever you wanted to call it. He was what made me, me. And as much as I tried, I couldn't help it. I needed him like I needed air. We've always been the best of friends. Well, that is, until he turned into a fucking prick. Sorry, that's beside the point; we'll get to that later.

Some say we had even been perfect. How was I supposed to know it would turn out like the mess it did? I mean... We were made for each other; No, literally. My mum, Renee, and Esme, my God Mother, made us for each other. That story was not one meant to be forgotten.

Renee and Esme were _legends_ at Fork's High School. Everyone knew their names and respected them. They had the best money, looks, grades, and sex. They teased the boys, charmed the teachers, bitched the girls, and stuck threw it to the end. They never even let anyone in. Their whole life would just be one big party. Then they went to college, and Hell, life just seemed to be starting. But too soon, it was over. Reality stepped in.

They had to get jobs. They figured out college was great, but they had to move on. Renee became a teacher, as ironic as it was, and Esme became a nurse. Renee met Charlie, my dad, and Esme met Carlisle. They moved back to Forks, both wanting to live in a small town. Looks like their lives played out perfect. Except for one thing they wanted: kids.

Of course they could easily have had them, but honestly, they were scared. These were the girls that had divorced, drunk, drug addict parents. They had relied on each other since first grade. They didn't know how to raise kids. What if they messed up? If they didn't be good parents, who would they rely on? How would they take care of themselves? Then the simple answer hit them. _They_ would rely on each other. _They_ could take care of each other; Just like they had done.

They thought fate would make it happen: it would be a boy and a girl, they would grow up, fall in love, and get married. They didn't wonder about the problems or what the consequences might be. They just knew. And they were right. Nine and a half months later, Edward and I were born. He on September 2, and I on September 13. We might as well been twins.

From the day we could walk and talk, Edward and I were best friends. We never even got in fights. And just like Renee and Esme planned, we took care of each other.

Honestly, I was always bullied when I was little. I was an easy target. My coordination was zero to ton, my glasses never really fit right, and most of the time I was looking at my own feet. Edward was different. He could have easily been the most popular guy at school. He was the best at sports, by thirteen already muscular, and the girls thought he was good looking. But Edward had a temper. We worked together: He looked out for me, and I was the one who made him calm down. Sometimes I wonder if that was all I ever was.

I remember this one day back in fifth grade; this kid named Mike Newton was teasing me about my hair or something stupid like that. Let's just say being upset was an understatement. I ran home bawling my eyes out. I figured no one really liked me. My parents tried everything for me to calm down. They didn't even know what was wrong. Edward came over and helped me relax. He was my cure. The next day Mike came to school with a black eye. He told everyone he fell, but the way he looked at Edward told me otherwise. Edward told me he had nothing to do with it, but I saw threw him. That day was the day I knew Edward would always be there for me.

One time, Edward got in an argument with his parents in the 6th grade. He yelled at them for over an hour. It was over something stupid, but Edward had this thing for needing to be in control. That was his flaw. He ran away that night. I searched for him with his and my parents. When we found him, he was fuming. He wouldn't let anyone near him. I walked up to him and tried to calm him down. He started hitting me, leaving me bruises and yelling in my face. But no matter how many times he kicked or screamed at me, I went at him. I wrapped my arms around him and whispered, "I know your right." It seemed like it triggered something in his brain. He calmed down.

Edward never forgave himself for what he did that day, though everyone else did. There were never enough apologies for yelling and hitting me. That day was the day I knew Edward cared for me as I did him.

We loved each other as we loved our parents. Nothing could break us apart. Or so I thought.

It was the summer after 6th grade. Edward and I would be going to middle school together. I was so worried, but Edward was fearless. He promised he would never let me down, and would help me threw. We had almost every class together, thanks to his parents. I knew I would be okay with Edward there.

It turns out Fate had other plans. Carlisle and Esme were having trouble paying the bills. Then Carlisle got a job offer in L.A. so good that he couldn't refuse. His family had no other choice. Edward told me a week before school started.

That was the worst day of my life.

_"Bella, I'm moving," Edward announced. _

_I was in shock. We were just sitting on a bench by a park, talking._

_"Wh-what?!" I half shrieked._

_"I'm moving," he repeated. His expression was unreadable; blank. How could this be happening? Edward was my everything! I couldn't spend a moment without him._

_"Where?" I asked, trying to keep calm, but even I could hear the desperation in my voice. He couldn't be moving far away. Maybe just to the other side of town. I could live with that._

_"To L.A."_

_I couldn't breathe. Couldn't think. I felt my stomach drop, and there was this pulling feeling to it. My body slowly became consumed be pain, starting from my chest. I clutched my hand to my chest as my body stilled._

"_My dad got a job offer, we're leaving tonight," He continued calmly and quietly._

_"No! No, you can't leave!" I tried to yell, but my voice cracked. Tears were running down my face in a never-ending flow._

_"I'm sorry Bella, I really tried to stay. I'll miss you. It's not like I want to go."_

_"Miss me?" I asked with rage, getting even more furious."That's all then? That's __**it!**__? Just call it off and pretend you never even met me?! Edward, don't do this to me. I'll come with you! Anything, Edward! You know I can't live without you."_

_Edward let out a shaky laugh. "Bella, you're being ridiculous! It won't be that bad. You'll move on, trust me. Come on now; show me your brave face." That was a saying Edward usual said when I was scared. It had worked every time before, except now._

_I tried to protest. Heck, I tried to even speak. But I couldn't. I couldn't move anymore. My pain had turned numb. I could only close my eyes and shake my head. Traitor tears continued to leak threw._

_"Good-bye Bella," Edward whispered._

_The world seemed to stop. Time had stopped. Everything just... stopped. I tried to focus on something, anything at all, but it just slowly faded away. I was still alive but just not really there. My soul was gone with Edward. I wasn't living anymore; just existing. I never really knew how much Edward meant to me until now. It hurt so bad I couldn't even cry anymore. _

_Please god, no, let this be a bad dream! Let me open my eyes to find Edward smiling his crooked smile. Please._

_I felt someone shaking my arm._

_"Bella! Bella, are you alright?!" I heard my mother's frantic voice. I managed to open my eyes. It was dark outside, and Mom and Dad were looking at me desperately. It seem like it had only been seconds. I was shaking as I realized it was freezing. I didn't care._

_"Is Edward gone?" I croaked. My voice seemed strange; different. No life. Dead. I would soon find out it would stay this way._

_"Oh Bella, God, I'm so sorry! I thought you would take it better than this," Mom said. Even a tear came down her cheek too._

_That was the day they became Renee and Charlie. They didn't even tell me. No one told me. _

_Except Edward._

_Edward. _

_Edward, Edward, Edward._

_The pain came rushing back and the numbness was gone._ _I broke down sobbing, and my body couldn't stop shaking. I had never felt so alone, so deserted. The pain filled every inch of me._

_Charlie picked me up, and carried me to the car. The tears were endless flowing freely. They didn't help the pain. I cried all night until I finally went to sleep. Then the nightmares began._

Things weren't any better by the first day of school. It was all downhill from then.

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**Thank you for reading the first chapter! I'm really just messing around with this one so might not be good. **

**WARNING: Rated M for language and sexual content. Just a precaution, but you know you love it anyway! A little humor here and there too.**

**Thanks,**

**Lauren.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

"Bella! I can't take this anymore!" Alice shouted.

"Hmm?" I was dazed. I had blanked out again. That was pretty usual for me.

"Bella, you've always told me, "I'll get over it, just give me time." But it's been five years, and you _still_ haven't! This is not a healthy behavior!"

Alice was pissed, but I knew it wasn't at me. It was at Edward. Even though she never met him, I had told her endless hours and hours of stories about him. She thought it was his fault that I was like this, but it obviously wasn't. I was just a pathetic loser that couldn't get over him.

I had to admit, she was right about both things. Alice had been my best friend since the beginning of 7th grade, when Edward left. She helped me act even human again. She had black, spiky, hair pointing in every direction. Her pixie like face made her some-what evil looking, and she was the tiniest person you have ever seen. No matter her size, she acted as a body guard for me. A lot of people had fun messing with me, and Alice scared them away.

People learned you don't mess with a force like Alice. I had no idea why she wanted to be my friend. _I_ always sulked, spaced out, and people thought I was emo. On a rare occasion, though, I would smile and have fun.

I'd become the living dead without Edward.

I sighed. "Alice, we've been over this."

"Damn right we have! And now it's time for new story, that damn "Edward leaves and I'm sad for the rest of eternity" one. Get your ass up and start moving! We are going to have fun, dammit!" She was standing up now, face serious, fist held high in the air.

I thought I might mention we were in the cafeteria at school and had 2 more hours before we could go anywhere. But if I did, Alice would start rambling about the injustice of school.

I already heard that one too many times.

"It's okay Alice. I really am fine the way I am," I lied. I wasn't fine. The only thing that could fix me up was Edward, like he use to. But he was gone, having fun in L.A. while I was here, depressed. It was pathetic, really.

"It's okay Bella. I can tell your lying," she imitated my voice. She smirked, and I had to smile.

"Bella," Alice continued seriously, "Didn't you say you loved Edward?"

"Well, yeah-"

"Why, dammit! God, look what he's done to you! And from what you told me, he didn't seem that sad to be leaving in the first place! How could you love a person like that? You were always better off without him. Can't you see that, Bella?" Her anger turned to sadness by the end.

Oh, Alice.

A couple of people were giving us uneasy looks. Alice didn't seem to notice and stared at me for answers. I sighed. How could I explain it to her? In many ways, she was like Edward; brave, beautiful, smart, loving. The list went on and on.

I closed my eyes and shook my head softly.

"You never saw him," I said so quietly it was almost a whisper. "He was always there. Always. And there was this look about him... Oh, Alice I can't explain it. He never lied, never cheated, never did anything mean. When he smiled, you knew he was good. When he laughed, and you heard the sound, you knew that there couldn't be anything wrong with him. When he hugged you, and you felt his cool arms, you never wanted to move. And he never messed up. Ever."

"You're wrong," Alice gave me a sad smile. "He did mess up. He made the biggest mistake anyone ever could. He let you go."

With that, the tears fell down my face. Alice put her arm around me and said, "Shh... It's okay. Everything's going to be okay."

But it wasn't. It would never be okay without him. I let the tears flow freely now, not caring. Most people had already left the cafeteria, so we didn't make a scene.

With each silent tear that fell, I let the pain fall too. I couldn't stay like this. Alice was right about one thing. This wasn't healthy. And I was making Renee, Charlie, and Alice unhappy too. I was a selfish creature. I needed to make things right, or as right as they ever would be. I could do this. I _would_ do this. I took a few deep breathes. I wiped the tears from my face and looked up at Alice, smiling, but it seemed a little forced.

"Your right, Alice. He... messed up. I'm ready to move on," I half lied.

I_ was_ ready to move on, but Edward never had messed up. This was my entire fault in the first place, and now it was my time to fix it. I had always been a bad liar, but Alice was so surprised she didn't notice. Her eyes were wide, lips slightly opened, and body still.

"Are you sure Bella?" she asked, dumbfounded. I couldn't seem to read her tone.

I nodded. Alice's face lit up like a child's on Christmas day, and I had to smile too.

"Oh, Bella, I'm so happy! And you are going to be too! I can see it!" She exclaimed. She was so happy, that I had to laugh. Alice was the world's best friend. She was happy when you were happy.

"Um, Alice?" I said uneasy.

"Yes?" She looked determined, ready to do anything I asked. It made my heart crack at how giving Alice was. I wish I could be that unselfish. But if I was honest, I would give up anything to have Edward back again.

"I think I'd be a lot happier if we weren't late for class." I laughed.

Alice looked confused. She looked around the room and jumped in surprise.

Just like Alice to forget that the rest of the world still moving even if she wasn't.

"Oh! Yeah, c'mon let's go!" She pulled my arm and we headed off to our next class, laughing all the way.

***Important AN!!!**

**I've made a schedule for my updates. I'll update every Sunday and Thursday. I think that's pretty good. Same thing for Broken Truth if you're reading it too. If you aren't, I recommend it. (:**

**I know, I know. This is a little slow. But it won't always be doom and gloom. Edward will be back soon. In about 2 Chapters.**

**I need more than two reviews for me to continue. It just isn't worth it for me to write with only 2 people reading. :/ 5-10 would be enough. I guess will see…**


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